Ex-Sen. Talent still thinking about McCaskill rematch

Former Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.) passed on running for Missouri's open Senate seat this cycle, but he's still thinking about a rematch with Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.).

"I do have to make a decision early next cycle if I'm going to run," Talent told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Since losing to McCaskill in 2006 by less than 50,000 votes, Talent has remained in Washington working on national security issues.

"I do want to stay involved or, if anything, step up my involvement in public affairs. It could take that form [running for office], it could take many forms," he said. "Now is not the time to be withdrawing from public affairs."

He warned his fellow Republicans not to assume voters' anger will be directed solely at Democrats in November.

"I don’t think it is inherently a partisan thing," he said about the national mood. "I think it's directed at the people they identify as in power."

The GOP may also lose some members, he added. "You don’t know whether there might be some impact on Republican incumbents. But I would be surprised to see that on any broad scale."